Tuesday, February 7, 2012

The Many Lines of My Jacket - HCC Stripe Challenge - Part III

Happy Tuesday!

The Haute Couture Club - Stripe Challenge was held on Saturday. There were over a dozen participants. The ladies came up with some interesting outfits. (All will be showcased at the May fashion show. wink, wink)

But as for me, I used McCall 6294. This my garment serves a dual purpose: HCC Stripe Challenge and the Palmer/Pletsche contest.

Pattern Sizing: 4 through 18. I started out with a size 16; but ended up scaling it down to a 14 with my usual adjustments.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Yes, it look like the basic design as illustrated on the envelope.

Were the instructions easy to follow? Easy.., No problems.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? The design of the collar and the back yoke. No dislikes.

Fabric Used: The challenge organizers picked this beautiful striped fabric and made it available for members at a previous club meeting. Not sure of the fabric content, but I think it does have some rayon in it. It very easy to work with; sews and presses well. I only bought two yards; and after playing tetris with the pattern pieces on the fabric, I finally admitted I didn't have enough fabric for the entire jacket. So the under collar and the front facing is a stretch woven woolen (Rainbow). My DD gave me about 2/3 yd for my sleeves. The lining is china silk.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:

Before cutting into the fabric, I made several adjustments to the pattern:

- FBA – I omitted the small dart in the front
- Sway back adjustment - Then I added that same amount to the bottom of the back and side back pattern. Sometimes when I make the sway back adjustment the jacket/dress is slightly higher in those sections
- Prominent shoulder blade adjustment

Design changes:

- The back yoke was cut along the center. I added 5/8” seam allowance to one of the halves along the cut edge. This created the chevron effect in the back of the jacket.
- Added piping to the shoulder, front, and back seams. The pattern of the stripe was uneven so I wanted to break up the stripe a little bit.
- Contrasting fabric for the front facing and under collar. I had a limited amount of fabric.
- Lined the pockets. I like a clean finish.

For the upcoming fashion show, I will make M5818 (TNT) pants and a simple t-shirt (ivory) to complete the outfit. Of course the ensemble with include the Simplicity purse I had a few months ago.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? I don't think I will sew it again, but you never know. I have a few more jackets I'd like to try. But I do recommend it to others.

Conclusion:

This was a great pattern to use for the stripe challenge. It allowed me to create an interesting garment for the Palmer/Pletsche contest as well.

OMG! That is stunning! I should put a visit to the Couture Club on my To Do list sometime in 2012. Just need to make the decision to take the trip in from the far west suburbs. You are an inspiration Cenetta.

Okay now you know you're lying! That does NOT look like the basic design on the pattern envelope. *LOL* You have taken that so far beyond the original pattern and given it such a couture look that it doesn't begin to compare with that sad little envelope front.

You know I think this jacket is stunning. I was drooling over it when you posted your pictures to flickr. You do AMAZING work!

Thank you for your kind words. Marie - Many sources and many years of practice. Some of the reference materials in my library include: Vogue Sewing, Fit for Real People, Singer Sewing Books, Couture Sewing Techniques, The Complete Book of Sewing, all kinds of sewing magazines. The most handy reference is my fellow sewing, blogging friends, Patternreview.com, HCC of Chicago, and last but not least, my grandmother.

This jacket is so awesome - and that doesn't really describe it. Congratulations on winning the Palmer/Pletsch class. If you haven't been to Portland before you will really enjoy it. If you come around the middle of July through middle of August is great, sunny weather.

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About Me

I earn my living in MIS/IT in research administration at a major university. My passion is sewing. Here are a few adjectives that describe me: friendly, funny, inquisitive, creative, social, ambitious, optimistic, driven, generous, kind, helpful, and spiritual.My family and friends are very important to me. They make my life worth living.